Front Differential-Exploded View
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2002 Ford Pickup, 2001 Ford Pickup, and 2000 Ford Pickup. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
- The axle housing assembly consists of a cast-aluminum center section, a removable cast-aluminum axle housing tube (3B210), and a differential housing cover (3N136). Both the axle housing tube and the differential housing cover use silicone sealant as a gasket.
- The hypoid-design gearset consists of an 8.8-inch ring gear (3A397) and a pinion gear (3N175). Two opposed tapered roller bearings support the drive pinion in the axle housing.
- A drive pinion collapsible spacer (4662), located on the pinion shaft, maintains pinion bearing preload. The pinion nut adjusts the preload.
- Differential bearing shims (4A451), located between the differential bearing cups (4221) and the axle housing, adjust the differential bearing preload and the ring gear backlash.
- The differential case (4205) is a one-piece design with two openings to allow for assembly of the internal components and lubricant flow. Two opposed tapered roller bearings (differential bearings [4221]) support the differential case in the axle housing. Removable differential bearing caps (4224) retain the differential assembly in the axle housing.
- Inside the differential case, the differential pinion shaft (4211) supports two differential pinion gears (4215). The pinion gears engage the differential side gears (4236), to which the left axle shaft (3A381) and the axle cluster gear shaft (7L253) are splined.
- The differential pinion shaft bolt retains the differential pinion shaft in the differential case.
- An embossed metal tag, bolted to the rear face of the RH axle tube, contains front axle identification information.
- A front axle actuator motor assembly (7G360), controlled by an instrument panel-mounted switch, actuates the front drive axle.
CAUTION:
Actuate the front drive axle with the wheels in a straight ahead position, and at light throttle only.